The U.S. government is heading for a chaotic end of year after President Donald Trump’s refusal to pass a $2.3 trillion aid plan led to millions of unemployed Americans losing subsidies, further threatening the closure of federal agencies for lack of funds.
Trump, who leaves office on January 20 after losing re-election in November, was pressured Sunday by Republican and Democratic lawmakers to stop blocking the government’s pandemic aid and funding bill that Congress passed last week.
The Republican president has demanded that Congress change the bill to increase the size of attendance checks for people from $600 to $2,000.
Many economists agree that financial aid in the bill should be higher for the economy to move again, but they say that what is urgently needed is immediate support to Americans affected by coronavirus containment measures.
Unemployment benefits delivered to some 14 million people through pandemic programs expired Saturday, but could be reset until mid-March if Trump signs the bill.
In addition, that package includes $1.4 trillion in expenses to fund government agencies. If Trump does not sign, a partial government shutdown will depart on Tuesday that would jeopardize the income of millions of public employees, unless Congress intervenes with an interim measure that the representative accepts.
Republican Senator Pat Toomey told “Fox News Sunday” that Trump should pass the bill now, and then push for more unemployment money later.
“I understand that the president would like to send larger checks to everyone, (but) I think what he should do is sign this bill and then press (for the raise of aid). Congress can pass another bill,” Toomey said.
Trump spent the Christmas parties at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. On Sunday morning, he did not seem in a hurry to try to resolve the confrontation with Congress while on his way to the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
